Asked under what provision the deallocated blocks could be given back, Srivastava had said, "It is not the provision.

"The point was that before these rules (amended rules for auction of coal blocks) were notified, the in-principle decision was taken that these blocks will be given back to NTPC on the basis of certain assurance that they give with regard to exploration".

He had said, "It is that provision under which we will give it (blocks) back. This was the decision which was taken by the review committee before the rules were notified."

The Coal Ministry had last year deallocated coal mines--Chatti-Bariatu, Kerandari and Chatti-Bariatu (S) in Jharkhand--of NTPC for not developing them within the stipulated time frame.

The three mines allotted to NTPC have an annual production capacity of 13 million tonnes.